October & breast cancer

october is the international month of breast cancer , which is the most common cancer in females & early detection is the best way to reach the goal of healing....................Breast cancer is a treatable and curable disease, but early detection is key.   It is imperative that women not only perform monthly self-exams, but also schedule regular check-ups with their physicians and try to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  So instead of worrying about an uncertain future and potential tango with the breast beast, let’s do something about it.  

early detection .............

One of the earliest signs of breast cancer can be an abnormality that shows up on a mammogram before it can be felt. The most common signs of breast cancer are a lump in the breast; abnormal thickening of the breast; or a change in the shape or color of the breast. Finding a lump or change in your breast does not necessarily mean you have breast cancer. Additional changes that may also be signs of breast cancer include:

• Any new, hard lump or thickening in any part of the breast
• Change in breast size or shape
• Dimpling or puckering of the skin
• Swelling, redness or warmth that does not go away
• Pain in one spot that does not vary with your monthly cycle
• Pulling in of the nipple
• Nipple discharge that starts suddenly and appears only in one breast
• An itchy, sore or scaling area on one nipple

importance of performing monthly self-exams.  She states that although researchers may claim that there is no proven correlation between self-exams and a drop in the breast cancer mortality rate, “70 percent of all breast cancers are self- or spouse-detected, AND since mammograms miss 20 percent of tumors, my position is to equip women to do their exams with more skill and confidence so they don’t have to rely solely on mammogram and experts